


A Thief's Compassion

by Kumikoko



Series: The Life of a Thief [2]
Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: (kinda not really), Alternate Universe, M/M, spoilers?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-09-30 10:47:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17222579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kumikoko/pseuds/Kumikoko
Summary: Even thieves can express empathy.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Firstly, I want to say that I do not own Dragon Quest, nor its characters. Nor do I own some of the written dialogue as some of the dialogue is present in the game since I am writing around specific scenes. 
> 
> Second, this story too can be interpreted as a friendship between Erik and the Hero, or it could be interpreted as a bromance. Read it how you want to read it. 
> 
> Thirdly, Elian is not an original character. Elian is the name I chose for the hero when I made the game. I kinda like it, and it stuck. It sounds more formal and realistic then simply referring to him as "Hero" or "luminary" in fanfiction. 
> 
> Fourthly, I've been sick, which has severely impacted my ability to focus, and remember what words are. I am still sick, and while I am uncertain as to how this fanfiction turned out, I still feel as if the concept is interesting enough to read about. Hopefully you'll agree. 
> 
> All that said...what I want to show is what the video game did not show. 
> 
> For those whom may ask why I chose to write a series and not a chapter fic it is because I wanted these two fics to be stand-alone fics that have the potential to be read together if one wanted to. These two DQ fics are more like relatable drabbles, akin to Dragon Warrior 7 (epitome of fantasy then and now) where each shard pieced together makes one world~~ <3 (Ooh I'm clever >w<~<3 ) 
> 
> And despite the name of the series, not all planned "drabbles" will center on Erik. I am mostly writing about early game, by the way. (haven't beat the game yet but I heard about the botched job on "marriage," if you can call it that like w.t.f. ) DQ I love you and all but maybe you need to take a look back at DQ 5 or, I don't know, your adversary Fire Emblem...or for once in your life listen to your fans who, I don't know, made you a rich as hell company?

**A Thief's Compassion**

 

Elian blinked, focusing on the tree he and Gemma always played around while they were children. A light flashed emanated from the tree, temporarily blinding him. Elian wobbled, feeling woozy as the past, and present blurred. There were bright, colorful flashes of the town folk of Cobblestone and he swore he encountered Chalky, his grandad who had passed away a few years back. In another dizzying image, Elian helped a child Gemma retrieve her red headscarf.

Then the tree was before him once more, albeit charred. Elian furrowed his eyebrows with confusion while an alarming thought occurred to him.

Had someone desecrated the sacred tree?

The noise of light footsteps caught Elian’s attention, making him turn to see Erik approaching him. “Are you okay,” Erik asked as he stepped forwards to check on Elian. “I lost you for a minute there. Not surprising, I guess…” Erik said, trailing off as he realized Elian was distracted, turning to gaze upon the silent village.

Blackened smoke rose from destroyed buildings, evidence of a recent fire. Blood splattered the remaining stone foundation of a house. A few doors appeared to be missing, or broke down. Elian gasped, taking in the desolate remains of the town he grew up in.

“Damn! I can’t believe they’d do this…” Erik cursed, curling his fingers into fists. “And just because you grew up here? What kind of animals are they?” Erik ranted, seeing the way Elian was trembling. “Jasper and his goons must have ridden straight here after you got thrown in the dungeon and torched the place…” Erik theorized, and then looked at Elian for a response. Elian was still staring at the ruins of his village. His face was a pale shade of ghostly white.

_He’s rather messed up about this. I should change the subject_. Erik decided, wanting to snap Elian out of the horror in his head. “Hey—just now when you zoned out, the mark on your hand was glowing, and so was the root that was wrapped around that tree. Was it another one of those visions?” Erik asked, goading Elian to think of something other then the fact that the bodies of his deceased friends were probably stuck underneath the rubble and ash of the destroyed houses.

“I don’t know…” Elian confessed, speaking for the first time in awhile. “I saw the village the way I remember it but when I tried to speak to the people I knew, they did not know who I was, as if I never grew up here.” Elian recalled uneasily, pain glimmering within his eyes. “Least of all my mother…”

Erik grimaced, folding his arms across his chest in quiet contemplation. _His own mother knew not who he was either_? _Ouch_. Elian trembled, remembering who he lost. Erik thought, for a moment, the other man was about to cry. Erik once more tried to move the subject along.

“Must have been the root here,” Erik began, gesturing towards the root wrapped around the tree. “It must have the power to show you the past.” Erik theorized, and was relieved to see Elian look up at him.

_Grandad remembered me_. Elian remembered, blinking the oncoming tears away. “My grandad remembered me. He told me what I seek is in Cobblestone Falls.” Elian recalled, pushing down the heartfelt emotions that had been bubbling inside of his heart since he arrived.

“Hm…?” Erik rose an eyebrow at the curious knowledge Elian had presented to him. _Cobblestone Falls? Is there treasure and adventure afoot_? _Or just a family memento_?

“I might have been there before with Gemma and grandad, who I spoke to alongside my younger self…” Elian mentioned as an after thought.

“Wow. So you…You went back in time and spoke with your grandad and…And…yourself? That is seriously weird.” Erik commented, and waited patiently for a minute to give Elian the chance to continue speaking if there was more to say. But Elian’s eyes were glazing over with thought, signaling he had no more to say. “Well, if what your grandad told you was right, then we need to head over to Cobblestone Falls.” Erik pointed out, figuring another adventure with Elian would bear fruit.

Numbly, Elian nodded in silent agreement.

“Where did you say it was? East of the village?” Erik recalled as he began to head East. He stopped then and turned around to see if Elian was following him. Elian’s sad gaze was focused on the tree again. Erik approached him slowly. “Listen, I know this can’t be easy, but…hanging around here isn’t going to do anybody any good. Come on…” Erik encouraged softly and once more tried to travel east.

Elian grabbed Erik’s arm. Erik stopped and looked over his shoulder at him. He frowned, seeing the silent plea in Elian’s intense gaze. Erik sighed. “Fine, do what you need to do. I’ll wait.” Erik relented, sitting down against the tree. Elian let his arm go and approached the nearest house in a hurry.

Gemma’s house was nothing but broken wood, and scattered stones. Elian spotted Gemma’s dad lying motionless underneath some rubble. He grit his teeth and looked away to recollect himself. Elian slowly unearthed Dunstin and laid him down on flat earth. The man’s body was cold, and stiff. Elian shuddered and began to paw through the remaining rubble in the search for Gemma.

_She’s not here_. Elian realized and rushed along the cobblestone steps, ascending the hill to his home.

Erik folded his arms behind his head and watched Elian, keeping a respectful distance from him and the tragedy that had befallen the little town. _This doesn’t involve me_. _But, If he asks for help, I’ll help him_. Erik decided, relaxing under the shade of the tree. He noted the bright sun above them, and the cool spring breeze seemed to mock the dreary remains of the village as Elian disappeared into the burnt house on the hill.

A loud gasp sounded from Elian as he stumbled back, clasping a trembling hand over his mouth. Erik bolted up, alarmed by his friends behavior and sprinted across the charred, barren field. “What happened!?” Erik asked as he jumped onto the hill to reach Elian faster in case the soldiers were still present. He even half expected to see a slime popping out at them.

But what Erik saw left him speechless.

_Good goddess, no_. Was all Erik could think, looking upon a young lady who was sprawled on top of the rubble with an empty, half charred bucket laying near her. Her pale, naked body was covered in an array of bruises, and abrasions. The smeared blood between her thighs indicated something nefarious had happened to her.

“Gemma…” Elian murmured softly as he collapsed onto his knees, wrought with horror. Erik looked away from the girl and noticed another woman, older, and overweight was pinned to the wall by a rusty sword. A splatter of blood stained what was left of the splintered wall.

_That must be his mother_. Erik guessed, figuring Elian was sentimental enough to run straight home to his parents home, or a loved one. _He won’t want to see this_. Erik thought, pulling the sword out of the halfly charred woman. She fell forwards. Erik caught her and slowly lowered her to the ground.

Erik looked back at Elian and saw he was wide-eyed, and ashen. Haunted tears streamed down his cheeks. _I guess he lost everything_. Erik thought as he stepped into the remains of a bedroom. He spied a burnt dresser and rummaged through it, finding a large dress, halfly scorched. As he turned back around to head out, he tripped over something, stumbling forwards.

“Hm?” Erik wondered, looking down.

On the ground, surrounded by fallen stone and blackened wood was a child, covered in blood from a fatal sword wound. Erik grimaced at the horrific sight and clenched his hands into fists. _It seems the soldiers had some fun before they burnt the town to the ground_.  Erik thought grimly while he returned to Elian to check on him.

“Hey, you okay?” Erik inquired, setting a comforting hand onto Elian’s shoulder. Elian jumped, startled by the soft touch. He looked up at Erik, saw the concern in his blue eyes and snapped out of his grief. He simply nodded numbly and rose unsteadily to his feet.  

Elian tumbled out of the house and headed for a shed. After a moment, he returned with a shovel and wordlessly began to pierce the hard earth with the tip of the shovel. Erik glanced around the village, counting the houses in his head and the families that might have been living in them.

_Damn, we’ll be here all night. I better set up camp_. Erik figured, heading back to the entrance of town to bring the horse closer. As he did, Elian tirelessly dug two graves, one for his mother, and the other for Gemma. He did not ask for help, even as he lugged his loved ones bodies into the shallow graves.

By the look in his eyes, Erik guessed that Elian thought this was his burden to bare alone. _Stubborn guy_. Erik thought, as he set up camp. From the corner of his eye he saw Elian discover the body of a boy in the room of the house. Elian turned a pale shade of green and bent over, his shoulders trembling as he heaved.

_There’ll be more of that to come if he wishes to bury everyone_ …Erik figured while he settled down at the make shift camp sight. He watched Elian collect himself, and dig a smaller grave for the child.

Once that child was buried, and another prayer was said, Elian headed down the hill to the next house to bury more of his friends and family. Erik half expected Elian to ask him for help, but even as Elian dragged out charred bones of people he once knew, he asked not for help. Elian did not even look in Erik’s direction, his mind was focused at the task of giving the villagers a proper burial.

_I am surprised he hasn’t thrown up again what with the stench of death and charred flesh_. Erik noted, since he was nauseous from the smells he knew all too well. He glanced at the fading light of day and then looked back at Elian. A light trail of blood was trickling down the pole of the shovel, yet Elian did not falter in his endeavor to bury a elderly couple he knew.

Erik sighed. _He’ll never ask for help, but he needs it_. Erik realized as he stood up and approached Elian. “Let me,” He said, taking the shovel from him. Elian panted, wrought with emotion and fatigue. “Tell me where you want them, I’ll dig, you just bring them to me.” Erik told him. Elian stared at him warily, then relented and relinquished the shovel to him.

Elian let out a tired breath of relief as Erik took over the manual labor. He trudged forth to another house, collecting what remains he could of people he knew. It was a slow process, but he was determined to see it through before he left his home, lover, and childhood behind forever.

Together, Erik and Elian buried the good people of Cobblestone. When the last villager had been buried, Elian felt the fatigue and horror of the day settle into his bones. He let himself collapse between the graves of his mother, and Gemma. Putting one hand on each grave, Elian let out a mournful cry.

There was no reason for him to hold the tears back, no more reason to act strong. Everyone was buried in a shallow, yet proper grave. His cries of grief reached Erik’s ears, who knelt at the fire, dropping another wooden log on to it. Erik looked around at the multitude of visible graves that the fire illuminated.

_Geez, this is depressing_. Erik thought as he ran an anxious hand through his blue hair. Some ash and dirt peppered onto his shoulder, making him frown with distaste. _Agh, I better go talk to him_ …Erik decided, standing up. His arms and back were sore, but he continued forth towards Elian.

Once Erik was at Elian’s side, he knelt down on one knee, and without a second thought to male pride, he draped his arms around him, comforting him. “I know what it feels like to lose everything too.” Erik said softly, figuring that if ever Elian needed a friend, it was now. Elian reached up and grabbed one of Erik’s hands that hung just below his neck, accepting the emotional support as he grieved for the lost lives, and shattered innocence.

_Grandad was wrong, sometimes people can be cruel_ …Elian thought miserably, letting his tears wet the dry graves beneath him. He thought of his grandad’s kind face, and coinciding gentle smile. There was warmth in it—warmth he discovered was simultaneously emanating from Erik’s hand. Elian squeezed Erik’s hand for further support. Erik flinched, squeezing one eye shut, but this pain he ignored as well.

Both of their hands were raw and bloody from digging graves for hours on end. If Erik had been a lesser man, he’d have buried himself into his sleeping bag by now, but he figured he’d lend a literal hand to the man he had entrusted his life with.

As the moon rose high in the sky, Elian had recollected himself enough to stand on the hill of his house that overlooked the rest of the village and closed his eyes in silent prayer. He prayed for the souls of those he knew to have a merry passage into the arms of the local goddess, with his hands pressed together. Erik stood back with his arms folded across his chest, letting him do his thing.

The time for tears was over.

. . .

Cobblestone Falls was bathed in a soft, golden sunlight that illuminated the patches of grass amongst the clear water. Elian approached a large, pointy rock and knelt down before it. He dug in the soft dirt despite the aching in his arms, and hands. The simple digging motion caused the blisters on his hands to open up, and bleed into the bandages that Erik had wrapped around them last night, but he paid no heed as he lifted up a small, maroon hued box.

Two letters were found inside of it, each old and weathered from time.

“Letters, huh? The top one there’s seen better days,” Erik commented, folding his arms across his chest. He peered over Elian’s shoulder, glancing at the contents of the first letter. It seemed personal which dissuaded him from reading it.

_Just a family memento._ Erik decided to himself. “It’s from someone important to you, right? Your mother or something,” Erik inquired, cocking his head to the side with curiosity. “Don’t worry—you can tell me about it later,” Erik assured him quickly. “What about the other one?”

Without answering, Elian reached into the box and pulled the other letter out to read it over. He recognized his grandfathers writing instantly and furrowed his eyebrows together with grief, and longing. Elian read the letter vigorously, taking in every word of it as the last words he would ever hear from his beloved grandad who knew him so well.

Suddenly, a gentle hand clasped over his shoulder. Elian gasped, and looked up to see Erik’s supportive face. He took in a breath to calm himself, then he picked up the shining blue keystone that resided in the box.

“Grandad left this keystone for me to open the Door of Departure with so I can head out into the world and learn the truth about what it means to be the luminary.” Elian informed Erik as he gingerly pocketed the letters, and keystone into his leather sack.

“So we use the keystone to open the door of departure and head out into the world, huh? Sounds easy enough. You better believe I’m coming with you!” Erik asserted, not about to leave Elian alone after everything they had been through together.

Prison, the cliff, the betrayal of a friend…

“You said it was just east of here, right? Well, what are we waiting for?”

For the first time, Elian smiled in Erik’s presence.


	2. A Luminary's Compassion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The friends head to the sauna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's basically my take on Hotto, with some of the dialogue featured from the game to move the ficlet along. I do not own the characters, nor do I own the dialogue that can be seen in the game. There is, obviously, some fresh dialogue and interpretation. 
> 
> If it's not obvious, Elian is the name I chose for the luminary when I began the video game. He's not an OC.

A Luminary's Compassion

 

“Civilization at last! And I think it’s safe to say we’re not being followed anymore. For now, at least…” Erik declared with relief as he looked around at the straw-roofed buildings. He looked at Elian to gauge what he thought of the small village but saw that Elian’s gaze was focused on a mountain just behind the town.

The obsidian hued volcano lorded over the small town of Hotto. Daunted, Elian stared up at the orange cracks littering the puffing volcano. Dark ash occasionally spewed forth into the sky, and as it did, the ground beneath his feet rumbled. Erik clasped a hand over his shoulder. Elian snapped out of his fear-inspired awe and looked at him, his eyes burning with questions, none of which surrounded around the black, metal machine spewing white smoke in front of a large stone built home.

A short, stout man approached them in a hurry. Erik instinctively set a hand over the sheath of his knife.

“Two travelers come, their timing auspicious, as the days new dawn!” The guy announced cheerily in poetic form, “My bathhouse awaits! Savor its steamy embrace, as frogs do spring rain!” Erik rose an eyebrow at him. “Rejoice, honored guests! For to mark this happy day, you may sweat for free!”

_Free_? Erik set a hand on his hip and cocked his head to the side. _No one hands anything out for free_. Erik thought, gazing at the man with suspicion. He took a moment to scan the village for potential exists. _Are these people going to sacrifice us to their volcano gods_?

“Umm…we’re kind of busy to be…sweating, thanks,” Erik rejected cautiously, “Appreciate the offer, though.” He added, to soften the rejection. Elian heard the guarded tone in Erik’s voice and watched him to follow his lead.

“Too busy to bathe,” The man questioned, “Too busy to wash away the scent of the road?”

Jolting with astonishment, Erik looked himself over. His clothes were tattered, stained with dirt and the blood of monsters. He glanced quickly at Elian, who was a mirror image of himself, exhausted and covered in the ashes of those he had to bury. Erik tentatively sniffed himself and grimaced.

“Okay, maybe I’m not at my freshest…” Erik relented while he crossed his arms over his chest and looked away as his cheeks tinted pink with shame. “Fine. I’ll visit your bath house if it means that much to you.” Erik agreed, and then refocused on Elian. “Might as well go sweat off the journey while we have the chance. I’ll see you in there, okay?”

Elian nodded in agreement while the guy smiled, pleased to have a visitor. “The winds bring a guest! Joyfully I shall guide him to where bliss awaits!”

_Or certain death_. Erik thought as he followed the guy into the bathing house.

. . .

Elian headed into the bath house, entering through the bamboo doors. He stepped into the sauna room, clad in a grey shirt and pant set. Erik sat casually on a warm wooden step, resting one arm on his knee. He appeared relieved to see Elian join him.

“Finally!” Erik exclaimed with relief. “I was wondering where you’d got to,” Erik commented, and made a gesturing motion with his hand. “Come join me—this turned out to be a pretty good idea.” Elian looked around the mist fogged room. “We’ve got the place to ourselves, so we may as well enjoy it.” Erik suggested with another wave of his hand. “We’ve earned a little break, wouldn’t you say?”

Elian nodded in acknowledgement and settled down beside Erik. The heat of the sauna wafted over his skin and relaxed his sore muscles.  He leaned back, revealing in the heat that soothed the aches of his body.

Tumbling off of a horse twice, and jumping off of a high cliff had left him and Erik both hurting. They let the hot mist moisten their skin, and evaporate the blood stains off of their bodies as they revealed in the sauna.

“Can’t take it easy for too long, though. Sooner or later those creeps are going to catch up with us.” Erik spoke up, voicing his thoughts. “So you’ve been scoping out the town, huh? See anything interesting?”

“Yeah, there’s a hostile child searching for her little sister,” Elian mentioned, recalling a short child wearing red. Erik raised a questioning eyebrow. “She insults people, asks them for help, and then wonders why they’re then rude with her.”

“…Ah, her? Yeah, she was sniffing around here too. She’s way too young to be hanging around in bars though—no wonder they kicked her out.” Erik mused, thinking of the rules of society, and again compared them to the ones he grew up with in downtown Heliodor. “I don’t envy her, having a kid sister to run around after.” He muttered, his eyes turning downcast. “They have a habit of causing headaches…”

_Did he lose someone he once knew_? Elian wondered, setting a hand on Erik’s arm.

This time, it was Erik’s turn to smile.


End file.
